NHL Draft War Room: Roland McKeown

by

Roland McKeown

THW’s NHL Draft War Room Rankings (E-Mac): #19 (Feb 2014)

THW’s NHL Draft Rankings – The Next Ones Edition (aka Chris’s List): #26 (March 2014)

Roland McKeown
Roland McKeown (Terry Wilson /OHL Images)
  • Hashtag/Nickname: #MrPuckRusher, #Rolly
  • Team: #20, Kingston, OHL
  • Position: Defense
  • Shoots: Right
  • Height: 6’1
  • Weight: 197 lb.
  • Born: Listowel, ON, 20-Jan-96
  • Twitter: @McKeown20

Other Rankings

15 – ISS, Feb-14

17 – Bob MacKenzie, Jan-14

19 – Future Considerations, Feb-14

19 – NHL Combined – Mid-term, Jan-14

32 – Craig Button, Jan-14

Worth Retweeting

[For all the prospects profiled in the THW NHL Draft War Room series check out

the 2014 NHL Draft War Room: Prospect Profile Index]

Profiles

Quotable

  • David Gregory of NHL Central Scouting at NHL.com:

 “I love this kid … he can play offensively and move the puck and has a bomb of a shot.  When defending you, he presents himself as a big, strong and mobile guy. He’ll push guys to the side; he’s a legitimate top prospect.”

  • Kingston Frontenacs GM (OHL) Doug Gilmour:

“Roland is a player with speed – good offence, and plays smart on both the powerplay and penalty-kill.”

From the THW War Room

  • Eldon MacDonald, THW: A few words on Roland McKeown:
    • Puck moving defenseman – This guy loves the puck on his stick and uses top notch skating to move that puck up the ice. Although equally adept at moving the puck through passing, his first love is skating with the puck.  
    • Shot – Da bomb, baby!  
    • Minute eater – Good to go for all situations: PP, PK, 5 on 5, shutdown – Roland tends to be your go to guy.  
    • Defense – Not the biggest guy at 6’1, 197 lb. but he uses sound positioning and surprising strength to get the job done. To move to an elite level, however, he will need to show more physicality in puck battles and board work.
    • Draft placement – Currently in the mid to late teens on most lists,  Roland needs to establish himself more physically if he is to move up.

Video

About NHL Draft War Room Series

This series is compiled by Eldon MacDonald and edited by @ChrisRalphTHW)